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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Marriage and (Re)Joining the Catholic Church	Joseph	Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Question: Dear Sirs, I am Eastern Orthodox and a couple of years ago, I met a wonderful woman in the Philippines who belonged to the Catholic Church. She received a CIVIL anullment from her previous marriage, which was celebrated in the Catholic Church, but did not pursue an anullment from the Church. I had indicated to her my willingness to convert to the Catholic Church and marry her at her home parish (I have actually considered joining the Catholic Church on several occasions apart from issues of marriage). She decided that she wanted to marry me in my home church here in America. In April 2011, she and her son were received into the Orthodox Church via chrismation and in May 2011 we were married in an Orthodox Christian ceremony. Now the kicker: she and I have been talking a lot lately about me joining the Catholic Church and her and her son returning to the Catholic Church. We are VERY serious about doing this (we have even started attending, but not receiving communion at, at local Latin Rite church), but realize we have some issues to overcome. First, how would our situation, vis a vis our marriage, be addressed by the Church? Second, how would my wife and her son go about rejoining the Church? Third, how would I go about joining the Church? I understand that some of these questions have probably been answered in isolation in this forum, but because of their confluence, I thought it wise to submit a separate "question". My sincerest thanks in advance for your assistance.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), L.Th., D.D. Dear Joseph: I praise God that you wish to join the Catholic Church, and your family to return to the Church. 1) In order to be received into the Catholic Church your marriage must be regularized. Your wife will have to get a Church Decree of Nullity of her previous marriage. 2) Your wife and her son may return to the Catholic Church any time. I would advise that she and her son go talk with the pastor of your local Catholic Church. Presuming your wife and son have been baptized, and both have been confirmed in the Catholic Church, only confession is needed to pave the way for them to return. Leaving the Catholic Church is a grave sin. 3) For you to join the Catholic Church is similar to what your wife must do. Talk with the pastor of your local Catholic Church and tell him that you wish to be received in the Catholic Church. I am not quite sure of the procedure for this since you are coming from an Orthodox church that is a genuine Church with valid Sacraments including Holy Orders. But, the pastor will be able to tell you what is needed. He may refer you to someone at the Diocese. Bottomline: Go see your local Catholic pastor and let him know your intentions. File the papers for annulment and you and your family will be on your way into the Catholic Church. Welcome to the Catholic Church. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Marriage and (Re)Joining the Catholic Church

Joseph

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Question:

Dear Sirs,

I am Eastern Orthodox and a couple of years ago, I met a wonderful woman in the Philippines who belonged to the Catholic Church. She received a CIVIL anullment from her previous marriage, which was celebrated in the Catholic Church, but did not pursue an anullment from the Church. I had indicated to her my willingness to convert to the Catholic Church and marry her at her home parish (I have actually considered joining the Catholic Church on several occasions apart from issues of marriage).

She decided that she wanted to marry me in my home church here in America. In April 2011, she and her son were received into the Orthodox Church via chrismation and in May 2011 we were married in an Orthodox Christian ceremony.

Now the kicker: she and I have been talking a lot lately about me joining the Catholic Church and her and her son returning to the Catholic Church. We are VERY serious about doing this (we have even started attending, but not receiving communion at, at local Latin Rite church), but realize we have some issues to overcome.

First, how would our situation, vis a vis our marriage, be addressed by the Church?

Second, how would my wife and her son go about rejoining the Church?

Third, how would I go about joining the Church? I understand that some of these questions have probably been answered in isolation in this forum, but because of their confluence, I thought it wise to submit a separate "question".

My sincerest thanks in advance for your assistance.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), L.Th., D.D.

Dear Joseph:

I praise God that you wish to join the Catholic Church, and your family to return to the Church.

1) In order to be received into the Catholic Church your marriage must be regularized. Your wife will have to get a Church Decree of Nullity of her previous marriage.

2) Your wife and her son may return to the Catholic Church any time. I would advise that she and her son go talk with the pastor of your local Catholic Church. Presuming your wife and son have been baptized, and both have been confirmed in the Catholic Church, only confession is needed to pave the way for them to return. Leaving the Catholic Church is a grave sin.

3) For you to join the Catholic Church is similar to what your wife must do. Talk with the pastor of your local Catholic Church and tell him that you wish to be received in the Catholic Church. I am not quite sure of the procedure for this since you are coming from an Orthodox church that is a genuine Church with valid Sacraments including Holy Orders. But, the pastor will be able to tell you what is needed. He may refer you to someone at the Diocese.

Bottomline: Go see your local Catholic pastor and let him know your intentions. File the papers for annulment and you and your family will be on your way into the Catholic Church.

Welcome to the Catholic Church.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum